The Shared Pain, Princess's Battle for Justice

Every wound my maid, Bianca Frost, took for my childhood sweetheart was a lie.

The agonizing pain, the kind that eats at your marrow, was inflicted entirely on me.

I was plagued by constant agony, wasting away in bed for years.

She used this supposed life-saving sacrifice to gain favor with Caleb, eventually standing as my equal in his heart.

When I coughed up blood and finally told him the truth, his eyes burned with a scorching fury.

"Are you having fun pretending to be sick?" he sneered.

"Bianca saved my life. Drop your petty socialite schemes. I don't believe a word you say."

It wasn't until Bianca took a sword through the heart for him that the entire army wept for her.

No one knew that in a dark corner of the command tent, I died in sheer agony.

My blood soaked through three layers of silk blankets as I drew my last breath.

When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Bianca first tried to take a hit for him.

As she moved to jump in front of him, I raised my hand and signaled my guards to seize her.

"General Sterling is my childhood friend. This life-saving favor"

I stepped forward and smirked at her.

"I'm taking it for myself."

Bianca Frost tripped and fell not far away.

Instantly, a bone-deep, agonizing pain surged through my entire body.

I shuddered violently as the memories of my past life flashed before my eyes like a horror movie.

In that life, I was the crown jewel of the Vance family, a princess in all but name.

My father would have plucked the stars from the sky if I asked.

When Caleb Sterling was ordered to the front lines, I was consumed by worry.

I ignored all warnings and disguised myself, taking only Bianca and my shadow guards to follow him into the war zone.

I never expected that once we reached the border, Bianca would repeatedly throw herself in harm's way to save Caleb.

Every time she was hurt, I felt the pain in my very soul.

I became bedridden and frail, yet the army doctors couldn't find a single thing wrong with me.

When I first suspected Bianca and pointed the finger at her, she already held a massive influence over Caleb.

He looked at me with nothing but cold impatience, his words cutting deeper than any blade.

"Seraphina, I'm begging you, leave me alone and leave Bianca alone!"

"We are made of flesh and blood. We can't handle your constant harassment and jealousy."

"I know you can't stand sharing the spotlight, but she saved my life! Do you expect me to abandon a wounded hero just to play house with you?"

"This is a battlefield, not some game in your daddy's mansion!"

I stared at him, feeling like I'd been struck by lightning.

In his eyes, I had become a wicked woman who faked illnesses to grab attention.

Later, Bianca took more and more wounds for him.

I coughed up blood every day until even standing up became a luxury.

Caleb eventually told everyone, "The Princess is just faking. Ignore her. I'll deal with her father when we get back."

When Bianca finally took that sword through the heart for him, I felt my own life force erupt from my chest.

My shadow guards searched for a doctor, but Caleb had redirected every medic to save Bianca.

I died in that bed, screaming in silence from a pain no one believed in.

He threw my body into the deep woods like trash and silenced my guards.

Later, he lied to my father, saying I disappeared after being ambushed by bandits.

He then used his military glory as a dowry to marry Bianca.

My nails dug deep into my palms, the hatred nearly consuming me.

I won't accept this!

They destroyed me and lived happily ever after? Why!

I opened my eyes, and it was the exact day Bianca was supposed to take her first wound for Caleb.

"Seize her," I commanded coldly. My shadow guards instantly pinned Bianca down.

I walked up slowly, knelt, and lifted her panicked face with my finger.

"Princess what what is the meaning of this?" she stammered, her voice trembling.

I let go and let a cold smile curl on my lips. "I'm worried about General Sterling's safety. I've decided to protect him myself."

"As for you, you're weak and useless. I'm afraid you'll just get in the way. Stay here and wait."

Bianca stood there, stunned.

She never expected me to cut her off like this.

Her hands clenched tightly, and she looked like she had been deeply wronged.

She dropped to her knees. "Princess, you are of noble blood. You shouldn't lower yourself to do such dangerous things."

I narrowed my eyes at her.

Bianca's nails were digging so hard into her palms they were drawing blood, yet she didn't flinch.

Instead, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my own fingers.

"Are you implying that the General isn't worth my protection?" My voice was light, but it made her break into a cold sweat.

"Sera, that's enough" Caleb couldn't stand it anymore and began to criticize me.

But I wasn't going to let it go.

"Caleb Sterling, think carefully. Is it going to be me or her?"

I didn't believe a power-hungry man like him would give up the chance to be the son-in-law of the Vance family.

But he didn't care. He slapped me hard across the face.

"Seraphina, you really disappoint me. Bianca is my savior."

Caleb was certain I wouldn't stay mad at him. I was waiting for this exact moment.

I thought my pain would transfer to Bianca if he hit me.

I stared at her face, trying to find any sign of discomfort.

There was nothing.

A burning, stinging pain radiated from my cheek. It hurt so much I wanted to cry.

Bianca suddenly rushed forward and stood in front of me. "General, please don't hurt the Princess! If you must hit someone, hit me!"

She acted like a loyal protector, and it almost made me laugh.

But right now, I didn't have the energy to deal with them. I turned and walked back to my room.

I ordered my maids to bring me every ancient book we had. I had to know what was happening to me.

As night fell, a piercing pain shot through my wrists.

Long, thin gashes began to appear on my skin.

It was Bianca!

A small cut even appeared on my face.

Just as I was about to call for a doctor, Caleb burst in. He scooped me up into his arms, his voice urgent. "Sera, how are you feeling?"

I didn't say a word. I didn't want to look at him.

He sighed with frustration. "Sera, don't take it too far. I'm already here to make it up to you."

I tried to push him away.

But the dizziness from the blood loss made me stop.

I cut him off and commanded, "I want to see Bianca Frost."

Confusion flashed in Caleb's eyes. He looked hesitant. "Bianca only did what she did to save me. Sera, stop being so jealous."

I didn't want to argue. I just repeated, "Bring her to me."

Only by seeing her could I understand what this curse was.

Fifteen minutes later.

I lay on the bed, my face pale as a ghost.

Bianca was kneeling on the floor, but her expression was smug.

She discreetly showed me a small knife in her hand and mouthed the word: "Fool."

As if showing off, she carved another line into her arm.

Agony ripped through me. I curled into a ball, shaking.

"How is this possible?" I screamed, bordering on hysteria.

My consciousness began to fade, and my head slumped against the pillow.

I heard Bianca let out a cold laugh.

"You'll never know why, because all of this is"

When I woke up again, I was back in the capital. A royal physician was kneeling at my feet.

"Princess, you must never harm yourself like this again," he said slowly, emphasizing every word.

A sense of helplessness washed over me.

How was I supposed to deal with Bianca Frost?

The doctor ordered me to rest in the palace. Caleb used this as an excuse to visit often, pretending to care for me.

Even though people whispered about propriety, the rumors that Caleb was the unofficial fianc were everywhere.

But I knew the truth. Every time he came to the palace to flatter me, he was really there to see Bianca.

So, I used the excuse that Bianca had saved me to make her my personal maid.

I watched them trade secret, longing looks right in front of me every single day.

I swore that one day, I would make this pathetic couple pay.

A new maid was clumsy and dropped a bowl of scalding tea toward Caleb.

A bad feeling rose in my gut.

Sure enough, that psycho Bianca reached out with her bare hands to catch it.

The moment the boiling water hit, it felt like a thousand needles were stabbing my skin. A searing heat spread through my entire body.

I squeezed my eyes shut to keep the tears back and bit my lip to stop from screaming.

"Seraphina Vance! Have you not had enough? Are you trying to kill Bianca?"

Caleb didn't even hesitate. He immediately pinned the blame on me.

He blew on Bianca's hands with frantic concern.

Bianca acted shy, insisting she wasn't in pain.

Of course she wasn't in pain.

I looked down at my own hands, which were blistered and red. I couldn't hold it back anymore. I roared, "Caleb Sterling! Every injury she takes is transferred to me!"

"I am the one suffering for you!"

Tears streamed down my face. I had never been this pathetic in my life.

In a daze, I remembered how I died in my previous life.

Bianca had used some dark magic to make me her human shield for pain.

From then on, my once healthy body became a vessel for her wounds. I couldn't even get out of bed. I was a literal vegetable.

I desperately tried to tell everyone about the injustice, but they treated me like a lunatic and locked me away.

She took a fatal sword for Caleb, which meant I was the one who lay in bed in agony, waiting for death.

And as I died, I heard the news of him asking to marry her.

Right now, I felt that same crushing weight of illness, like I was becoming that useless person again.

"No it can't happen" I stared at Bianca's hateful face, feeling suddenly helpless.

"Enough!" Caleb couldn't stand my erratic behavior anymore. He grabbed Bianca and walked out.

He didn't look back once. His silhouette was cold and final.

I had to call the doctor to bandage my hands.

"Princess please don't do anything stupid," the doctor pleaded.

I had nothing to say. I just nodded blankly.

When I returned to my room, Bianca was waiting for me.

She spoke with pure malice. "Princess, the General is waiting for you in the hall."

In the main hall, hot tea was served. Caleb was sitting there like a judge on a throne.

"Since you claim you take Bianca's wounds, let's see if that's true."

"Sera, you don't need to frame her just because you're jealous. You have everything, and she has nothing."

"Even if you are a princess, you can't just treat human life like trash."

What a lovely speech for his secret lover.

I could hear the maids whispering around us.

Even when I glared at them and they went silent, the words still reached my ears.

"The Princess is so spiteful"

"Poor General Sterling"

I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't. I could only manage a mocking smirk.

Bianca added fuel to the fire. "I take hits for the General because I love him. If you want the credit, Princess, I won't stop you."

This ignited Caleb's temper. He looked at Bianca with pity. "Thank you for proving your innocence."

Another bowl of boiling tea was poured over a hand. The agonizing pain made me nearly collapse.

Then, Caleb ordered a maid to bring a wooden club.

He handed it to Bianca. Without a second thought, she swung it against her own arm.

"Oh my god, Bianca is so brave to prove herself."

"The Princess is so cruel for making her do this."

The whispers were constant.

I couldn't say a word because of the sheer pain.

Her arm was swelling, but mine remained smooth and unbruised.

A maid noticed I was trembling. She whispered, "General, the Princess looks unwell."

Every time Bianca hit herself, Caleb's eyes filled with more pity.

By the end, he actually had tears in his eyes.

"Unwell? I think she's just scared because her lies were exposed."

"A woman as venomous as you will never be half the person Bianca is."

He took the club from Bianca and threw it to the floor. He grabbed her hand to lead her away.

I am a Princess of the Vance line. How dare he humiliate me like this?

My rage finally overcame the pain. I stumbled forward and blocked their path. "Don't you dare leave."

Caleb saw my movement and exploded.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous these injuries are if left untreated?"

"Seraphina, why are you so damn selfish?"

He shoved me aside to pick Bianca up.

He didn't use much force, but my body was so weak I crashed to the floor.

My wounds hit the ground, making me gasp for air. Tears fell freely now.

I heard Caleb sneer, "Sera, you're such a good actress."

I didn't have the strength to fight him. The pain was swallowing me whole.

"Since no one taught you manners, I'll do it for your father."

He stepped forward and slapped me hard across the face.

My head hit the floor. In that split second, a memory from the last page of an ancient book surfaced.

It was a forbidden ritualDthe Soul-Binding Curse.

So that's what it was.

A smile finally touched my lips.

I saw Caleb stop in his tracks as he was about to carry Bianca out.

The next second.

"Royal Proclamation!"

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